Petitions Committee reviews food adulteration cases, calls for stringent enforcement

Srinagar, Jul 7: The Committee on Petitions of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, under the Chairmanship of Peerzada Farooq Ahmad Shah, Tuesday examined the petitions pertaining to the adulteration of essential food commodities in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Action Taken Report thereof.
The Committee also reviewed a petition regarding the appointment and confirmation of a Lumberdar in Porwara, Chadoora.
Legislators Mir Mohammad Fayaz, Javaid Riyaz (Bedar), Dr Sajjad Shafi along with Secretary JKLA Manoj Kumar Pandit, Commissioner FDA J&K Khalid Jahangir, Joint Commissioner Food Safety, State Drug Controller, ADCs Srinagar, Budgam and Baramulla along with other senior officers from the concerned departments were present in the meeting.
During the meeting, the officers of the Drug and Food Control Organization presented a detailed briefing on the functioning of the department, its mandate under the relevant laws and rules, inspection drives conducted across the Union Territory, enforcement measures, action taken against violators and penalties imposed to curb the sale of adulterated food and substandard drugs.
The Chairman stressed the need for greater interdepartmental coordination to effectively tackle the menace of food adulteration. He also emphasized the importance of intensifying Information, Education and Communication (IEC) initiatives to create public awareness regarding food safety, quality standards and consumer rights.
Underscoring that the Drug and Food Control Organization is directly concerned with the protection of human life and public health, the Chairman called for stringent enforcement of the law to eliminate the adulteration of essential food commodities. He directed the department to take strict and effective action against all violators and ensure that no compromise is made with public safety.
The Chairman instructed the department to maintain strict vigilance over the sale of medicinal drugs without valid medical prescriptions and to strengthen monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to prevent their unauthorized sale.
While discussing the petition regarding the appointment and confirmation of a Lumberdar in Porwara (Chadoora), the Committee directed the concerned officers to complete the appointment process within one week and submit a compliance report to the Committee positively.